Compartmentalized cup

ABSTRACT

A stackable compartmentalized drinking cup which is similar to separate cups with joined sides is disclosed. The separate compartments are joined in the top portion of the cup, and are apart at the bottom portion. The side of each cup section facing another cup section may be planar or may be twisted along the length of at least the bottom portion of the cup so that at least part of the cup is spiral. The cups are stackable as the joined sides can fit over and slide down the sides of a similarly constructed cup when so placed so that only the upper portion of the inner cup protrudes from the outer cup. Thermally responsive paints or dyes may further distinguish the compartments.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter of this application relate to beverage cups. In particular, the subject matter of this application pertains to certain cups that have two or more compartments so that a single cup may hold two or more distinct drinks or suitable foods such as ice creams while eliminating mingling of the contents. This compartmentalization allows two people to share a drink without having to use the same straw, and allows them to enjoy a different flavor. An optional twist in the cup helps stacked cups resist falling apart when dropped or mishandled.

BACKGROUND

The subject matter of this application deals generally with beverage cups and more specifically, beverage cups comprising compartments to hold more than one beverage or food without the contents of the compartments mixing. There are several uses for partitioned beverage cups or food containers that are not readily apparent to many consumers. One use is for carrying both breakfast cereal and the milk that normally accompanies it. U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,561 discloses such containers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,210 discloses another use in which a folding container is attached to a conventional beverage cup so that a food such as french fries, and a drink, can be carried in one hand. U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,503 discloses a partitioned cup to hold two different beverages so that two people can drink different liquids from the same cup with their own individual straws.

An anticipated use is the use of partitioned cups to hold different flavored drinks or slushie as one might find in a convenience store, fast food restaurant, or a fair. In these situations, the purchaser is usually the one filling the cup. Some people like to mix their drinks to satisfy some flavor profile such as mixing a diet soda and a regular soda, or by making their own Arnold Palmer (iced tea and lemonade). Mixing is easy with a conventional cup, but keeping the drinks separated is impossible. In addition to liquids, another anticipated use for the subject matter of this application is for keeping semi-liquids such as slushes or milkshakes separated as the user wishes. For example, one could fill one section of a two-partitioned cup with strawberry milkshake and the other section with chocolate. In this way, a single person could enjoy essentially two milkshakes and alternate between then at will to keep from getting fatigued with a single flavor. To some degree, this can be accomplished with a conventional cup, but the separation is fleeting at best, and the user is soon left with the gray remnants of the mixed, melted residue.

The above noted partitioned cups will keep things separate, but since they are not stackable, the storage space required to keep a stock on hand is greater than most shop owners would devote to disposable cups. Additionally, the customer-accessible cups are normally housed in a tubular sheath located by a dispensing station. Such sheath would only be able to hold a small number of non-stackable cups, requiring the attendant to refresh the supply more often than an owner would want to pay them to do. Non-stackable disposable cups are impractical for such applications.

SUMMARY

The subject matter of this application is a compartmentalized cup which is stackable to minimize the space require to store a number of these cups. In a preferred embodiment, it appears similar to two or more separate cups with facing, flattened, matching sides attached together only at the top portion. Thereby, in a two compartment embodiment, each compartment is similar to a half cylinder with one flat side, and he two flat sides face each other. The cup comprises a top section and a bottom section. The top section comprises a solid band that holds the compartments together. In the bottom section, the flat sides of the compartments are separated from each other. As with any stacking cup, the diameter of a cross section of the cup is smallest at the bottom of the cup and gradually increases as the cup extends towards its top. Therefore, each compartment partially fits into a similar compartment of another cup.

In another preferred embodiment, the cup comprises a longer solid band to form a more stable cup than would result from a comparatively small solid band. Another embodiment comprises compartments of the cup that come together at a point lower along the longitudinal axis of the cup. In this embodiment, the top portion of the cup may further comprise a solid wall extending from the top of where the compartments meet to near the top of the cup to separate the each of the compartments.

In yet another embodiment, the cup is helical so that the bottom portions comprise a twist. Preferably this twist is 90 degrees along the longitudinal axis of cup, however greater, or lesser, degrees of twist may be used. This embodiment may be a twisted variant of either of the other embodiments disclosed above.

Disclosed embodiments may further comprise thermochromic means. Such thermochromic means preferably form different designs, or comprise different colors, on each of the cup's compartments to distinguish the appearance of each compartment.

The subject matter of this application thereby discloses convenient, stackable, and compartmentalized cups. An embodiment of the subject matter of this application further comprises a partial twist that tends to keep the stacked cups together when such stacks are dropped or mishandled. The cups may comprise thermochomic means to decorate, and preferably, distinguish each compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the subject matter of this application, a two compartment cup formed as a single item with a thin connecting band.

FIG. 2 is a mid-saggital cross section of the cup of FIG. 1, perpendicular to the flat planes of a cup's compartments.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of one cup being inserted into another.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the subject matter of this application, a two compartment cup formed as a single item with a thick connecting band.

FIG. 5 is a mid-saggital cross section of the cup of FIG. 4, perpendicular to the flat planes of a cup's compartments.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a three compartment cup.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a four compartment cup.

FIG. 8 is a mid-saggital cross section of an alternative embodiment of the cup of FIG. 4, perpendicular to the flat planes of a cup's compartments further comprising a planar divider extending the compartmentalization above the connection of the separate compartments.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the subject matter of this application, a two compartment cup comprising a 90 degree helical twist.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the subject matter of this application further comprising a thermochromic means.

FIG. 11 is a view of the outer surface of the bottom of the cup of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description and drawings referenced therein illustrate embodiments of the application's subject matter. They are not intended to limit the scope. Those familiar with the art will recognize that other embodiments of the disclosed method are possible. All such alternative embodiments should be considered within the scope of the application's claims.

Each reference number consists of three digits. The first digit corresponds to the figure number in which that reference number is first shown. Reference numbers are not necessarily discussed in the order of their appearance in the figures.

The subject matter of this application pertains to multi-compartmentalized, stackable cups. The cup may be made from any suitable material, although plastics are preferred. The cup has a top portion (101), a bottom portion (102), and a longitudinal axis (103). The cup also has a bottom (104) and a top (105). The distance between the cup's said bottom and said bottom is the cup's height.

The bottom portion of the cup (102) comprises at least two separate compartments. In a two-compartment embodiment, this portion (102) comprises a first compartment (106) and a second compartment (107). The first compartment comprises an inner-facing side (108) that faces an inner-facing side (109) of the second compartment (107). Each compartment further comprises a solid bottom (110), an outer side (111), and an inner side (112). In the bottom portion of the cup, the compartments are separate. The compartments are joined in the top portion of the cup. It should be understood that although in most conformations, the first compartment's inner-facing side (108) and the second compartment's inner-facing side (109) are planar, that one or more inner-facing sides may be concave or convex to it's respective compartment or otherwise non-planar. Further, although a two-compartment cup is detailed here, the cup may have any number of compartments, but cups of more than perhaps four such compartments would increase manufacturing difficulties and decrease the volume of each compartment such that such cups may be disfavored. A cup comprising three compartments (601, 602, and 603) is illustrated in FIG. 6, and a cup comprising four compartments (701, 702, 703, and 704) is illustrated in FIG. 7.

Each compartment is essentially tapered in it's shape, so that horizontal sections of the compartment increase in size as such sections are progressively taken from the bottom, to the top of the compartment. There is a space between the compartments (113) that is also tapered, but this taper is inverse, and complimentary to, the tapers of the compartments.

The top portion of the cup comprises a band having a top parallel to the top of the cup, that surrounds the compartments, and which adds structural support to the cup. This may be a thin band (114), having a height of under a centimeter as measured from the top of the cup (105) to the bottom of the band (115), or it may be a thick band (401) having a height of no more than half the height of the cup as measured from the top of the cup (105). The intersection of a cup's compartments (116) is typically hidden from view by the band, although, the intersection point may be lower along the cup's longitudinal axis if desired.

As with any stackable cup, the cup will fit into another cup of the same design. Each compartment of a top cup (301) slides into a matching compartment of a bottom cup (302) such that each of the the top cup's compartment's outer sides (303) face the bottom cup's matching compartment's inner side (304). Thereby, the bottom portion of the top cup fits nearly entirely within the bottom portion of the bottom cup. Obviously, any other compartment comprising part of a top cup would similarly fit within a matching bottom cup compartment. Subsequent cups can be similarly stacked to create a stack consisting of as many cups as one could want.

In thin band (114) embodiments the force exerted on the cup by a normal grasp may cause the bottom portion's compartments to be pushed together. This displacement may be mitigated by forming the cup from a thicker, more study material. Due to cost considerations, a manufacturer may rather prefer a thick band (401) embodiment as the thick band mitigates the displacement without greatly increasing material cost.

Typically, the compartments join together at a point higher than the bottom of the band (115), although this intersection may be lower. Lower points of intersection would obviously reduce the volume of contents that could be kept separate by the cup. To prevent this, some preferred embodiments further comprise at least one wall (801) that extends from the intersection point (116) to approximately the top of the cup (105). This wall is continuous with the sides of the cup so that there is no cross-contamination between the compartments, even in the space above where the compartments intersect.

In yet another embodiment, the cups compartments comprise helical segments (FIG. 9). The helical conformation retains the separation of compartments and is stackable. When two helical cups are stacked, at least one must rotate as the top cup is placed inside of the bottom cup. A similar, although opposite, rotational movement is required to remove a cup from a stack. The stackable helical conformation thereby mitigates the risk of a stack of cups falling and individual cups becoming separated from the stack. This would prevent waste due to having to discard open cups that have fallen. Further, the helical design increases the visual appeal of the cup. It is not necessary that these compartments comprise a full turn, or even a half turn across the cups's longitudinal axis. In a most preferred embodiment, the helical compartments comprise a quarter turn (90 degrees). Although more, or less, rotation is possible, less rotation does not have the same visual impact and greater rotation requires more effort to rotate the cups as the are stacked or unstacked. Further, greater rotation may interfere with the use of a standard drinking straw.

All of the embodiments of the subject matter of this application may further comprise a thermochromatic means. The addition of a thermochromatic may may further distinguish each compartment. For example, each component may look similar at room temperature, but when the components are filled with a cold liquid one compartment (106) may turn one color while another compartment (107) turns another color. In FIG. 9 this difference in color is illustrated by two different fill patterns. This further increases the visual novelty of the cup and allows one to identify the contents of the compartment based on it's color. The thermochromatic means could be one or more thermochromic plastics used to form the cup, or may also be a paint or other coating on the compartments. The thermochromic mean may either completely encompass a compartment or may form a design (1001) that reacts when the thermochromatic means is activated. 

I claim:
 1. A tapered compartmentalized stackable cup comprising a longitudinal axis, a bottom portion and a top portion, said top portion comprising a band having a top level and a bottom level, the cup's said bottom portion comprising at least two separate compartments, each compartment comprising sides, an apex where the compartments join together, an open top with an outer edge, and a sealed bottom, such that horizontal sections of the cup increase in diameter as the level of the horizontal plane moves from the bottom of the cup to at least the lower level of the band; at least one side of each compartment facing an adjacent side of a bordering compartment of the same cup, but separated from the adjacent side of the bordering compartment by a space; and the cup's said band being attached to the the outer edges of the open tops of all the components of the cup.
 2. The cup of claim 1 further comprising a wall extending from the said apex to approximately the level of the said band's top level, said wall being continuous with the cup such that a border is created extending the volume of each separate compartment from the said apex to approximately the level of the said band's top level.
 3. The cup of claim 1, wherein the cup's said bottom portion further comprises a helical twist along the cup's longitudinal axis.
 4. The cup of claim 2, wherein the cup's said bottom portion further comprises a helical twist along the cup's longitudinal axis.
 5. The cup of claim 1, wherein at least one of the compartments further comprises a thermochromatic means.
 6. The cup of claim 2, wherein at least one of the compartments further comprises a thermochromatic means.
 7. The cup of claim 3, wherein at least one of the compartments further comprises a thermochromatic means.
 8. The cup of claim 4, wherein at least one of the compartments further comprises a thermochromatic means.
 9. The cup of claim 1, wherein the cup comprises two compartments.
 10. The cup of claim 1, wherein the cup comprises three compartments.
 11. The cup of claim 1, wherein the cup comprises four compartments. 